Era of impunity has ended in APC, Alao-Akala declares

By Ogundele Olanrewaju

Adebayo Alao-Akala, leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adebayo Alao-Akala has declared an end to the era of impunity and disrespect for party supremacy in the Oyo state chapter of the party.

The Ogbomoso-born chairman of Elders Advisory Council of the APC, made this declaration while addressing party faithful and supporters who thronged his Awosika, Bodija residence today to demand for a fair and just process during the forthcoming state congress of the party scheduled to hold on the 16th of October, 2021.

National Daily news understands that the congress will lead to the formation of new party executives that will lead Oyo APC in the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Oyo state.

He decried the level of inpunity and disrespect for the institution of the party in the state and said henceforth the leadership of the party will no longer tolerate distruptive tendencies whose stock in trade is to put the sanctity and institution of the party to ridicule and disrepute at the slightest opportunity.

He said no matter how highly placed any individual is, the party is supreme.

“Anybody that calls him or herself a politician can never be a recognised Politician without first belonging to a Political party.

“That political party will serve as your identity. It is on the platform of that political party that you will ply your political trade.

“You can never use your surname to contest and win an election, so why can’t we abide by the rules guiding the party,” he queried

”Treating that platform that gave you a political leverage with disdain and disrespect will no longer be tolerated.

“The era of members of the party going on radio, granting newspaper interviews or going on social media to tarnish the hard earned image of the party has come to an end.

“Anybody caught in this web of impunity will be sanctioned appropriately as prescribed by the constitution of the party. There are rules of engagement and it will henceforth be followed to the latter.

“This coming state congress, you members of the party will decide who you want as your leads. They should know they cannot be the aspirant and at the same time be the one in charge of the party structure.

“You cannot eat your cake and have it. Anybody clamouring for the party structure is wasting his or her time. The party has returned to the people who are the members of the party.

“The people own the party not any leader or stakeholder. Without you followers, we cannot exist as the leaders you call us.

“This coming state congress will be an open affair and nobody’s ambition can supercede the interest of the party.

“I want to assure you that every local government will have a representative on the state executive.

“We have 36 positions in the state executive and we have 33 local government areas in Oyo state.

“It is a simple arithmetic, each local government will have a slot in the spirit of fairness and equity unlike in the past where some local governments had up to three representatives in the state Excos while some had none.

“The era of some local governments being disenfranchised in the scheme of things is over.

“In the formation of this outgoing state executives, Oluyole local government for example has three representatives on the Excos – Deputy state chairman, State legal Adviser and
Organizing secretary while Surulere local government has nothing. Where is the fairness in that.

“Same thing for Ibadan south east, they have the state secretary, P.R.O and welfare officer
and Itesiwaju local government has nothing. Same thing in Ibadan North East local government with special leader and youth leader.

“These are the abnormalities we are out to correct in the formation of the new executives of the party and I can assure you we will achieve that. Each local government will have at least a representative.

According to the former governor, Oyo state APC parades a conglomeration of the finest brains you can ever think of.

“Our membership is populated by an arrays of cerebral minds that are very capable of steering the ship of the party for us.

“We will not recycle old hands, rather, we will ensure that we bring on board a new set of team to steer the ship of the party for the next four years”.

“Even the party primaries coming up next year, it will be an open contest by the grace of God. It will be thrown open to all. Those carrying rumors of zoning the governorship ticket are wasting their time. They will be in for a great shocker.

“I have said it often times and I will repeat it again, it will be an open contest, whoever the party chooses, we will support and we will win the election.

“It can be anybody from any zone of the state, whoever is interested in contesting for the governorship ticket of APC in Oyo state should be ready to work for it. It will not be tossed on anybody’s laps. That is where the practical aspect of Politicking will come to play.

“Political theory is far different from practical politicking. A practical politician will always be in the field canvassing and mobilizing for support not making noise on the pages of newspapers and social media. APC as a party is a progressive-minded institution hence Oyo state will tow that line firmly.

“If the delegates at the party primaries decide to vote for an aspirant from Ibarapa North as governorship candidate of the part, so be it, that is who we will work with and ensure we win the election he declared,” he added.